20091129

The truth need not justify itself to the fool.

Until death do we live, and so, until death shall we learn.

20091127

If the end is to be justified by any means, it is not an end that I so desire.

20081120

剥了皮才能吃香蕉。
[Eat of a banana, only after peeling.]

20091114

《Of Rebels and Orderlies》

The rebel resists where the orderly conforms:
The rebel procrastinates where the orderly prepares.
The rebel is late where the orderly is early.
The rebel is rejuvenated by pressure, where the orderly relaxes before a deadline appears.

The rebel bucks the system that the orderly perpetuates:
The rebel questions what the orderly accepts.
The rebel pushes a limit that the orderly abides by.
The rebel breaks a rule that the orderly obeys.

The enforcer guards a boundary that the creator draws anew.
The enforcer respects a law that the creator passes.
The enforcer supports a law that the creator amends.

The creator and enforcer of rules also fall to rebel and orderly.
Orderlies and enforcers are followers; rebels and creators are leaders.

20091112

Ask me why the world won’t stop fighting, and I’ll ask you why the world won’t start getting along.

20091111

Every experience, good or otherwise, is an opportunity for growth; lack of experience is a lack of opportunity.

20091110

In a land far away, in a time long ago, there was a man who had enough and had he not just enough, but to excess had he. His hours were long, his toils sincere, and his earnings quite dear. He ate well, he lived well, and he slept well. For this was a man with enough to spare and did he, with others share. For this, he was well regarded by his brethren, kin and neighbor, too. Even his foes kept a fond distance, for they were few and their character untrue, with only the cowardice of envy to spare. And so, the man slept well and he lived well.

It was common in those times, as in times now, for like to live by like. And so it happened that in a dwelling nearby lived a second man, well to do as he was. This man, too, had more than enough, enough even to excess. He ate well and he lived well, but he did not sleep well. Though his hours were likewise long, his toils were not sincere. The wind hums in question, how were his earnings dear? With cunning and not without conniving, this second man pondered and plotted his hours away. He left his toils to others near, that they may have reason not to stray. And stray they did not, their fear keeping them near. His foes were neither few and ever nearer they drew. Respect for this man fell away; in its place, stood only their contempt. And so, the second man, though he lived seemingly well, did not sleep so well.

It was true in those times, as in times now, that where a mountain stands tall, a valley lays nearby. And so it were that a third man lived not so far from the first and second men. But though he ate well enough, he did not live well and he did not sleep well. His toils were many and his hours even more. And whilst he would utter not such words, it was for the second man that he toiled so. Neither foe had he, nor friends with which to be. His hours filled with anger true and one part angst, and toil alone did he. And so, the third man did not sleep well, because he did not live well.

It was inevitable in those days, as in days of now, that where the sun shines upon a tree, never the land below is a golden ray to see. And so there was a fourth man, who served below all the others. Of excess and its meaning he understood not, knowing it to be a thing only that he lacked. His toil was not much, his time of rest neither more. For his hours were long and he never knew when, if, it would end. Foes he had not; for nothing did they fear nor more was there to envy dear. Friends were likewise few, too afraid of filth to stand even near. He ate not well, and by no man’s standard did he live well. But he did sleep well. With little to weigh him down and not a regret to hold him back, only the night was his friend, ever to return and always to keep him until the morn. And so, the fourth man did not live well, but he slept so very well.

With a heavy heart do we toil away what otherwise would we idle, or with light heart shall we rest when the day has met its end and bids farewell the eve.

This story of four men is but a tale of two: two ways to eat, two ways to sleep, and keeping true –there are but two ways to live.

20091109

Where lies the truth in the juxtaposition and contradiction of some walls praised for their greatness and others for being torn down?

Utopia knows not of walls, of gates, of lock and key.

The two sides of a wall are still but of a single wall.

Where there is a window, is there no need for a door.

20091107

[on BELIEF and ACTION]

It is possible to know one’s beliefs by looking at their actions, but it is impossible to know one’s actions simply by looking at one’s beliefs.

For belief is different than action, and rare is the person who acts according to his or her professed belief.

Humans are mortal, by definition, and know for certain very little about things immortal.

Hypothesis and superstitions, often termed belief, aim to simplify what is supernatural, i.e., what is not of this earth.

One’s beliefs cannot change reality, they cannot explain the past or define the future. At most, a belief may shape the present, and only our actions can agree with our beliefs.

If our actions do not match our beliefs, then it is only the present that we disgrace in the name of the future.

A belief which does not match our actions is but another’s, whose existence is never real enough to call our own. In this light, it is only possible to say that actions exist and beliefs are as only as real as said actions.

The action which differs from belief must relinquish any ties to that belief, for they are separate, they are an ‘other’ unto each other.

A fool professes a belief and guides not his actions to follow. The wise guide their own actions accordingly, and in doing so, set forth a belief which no soul can dispute, as it is backed with action.

20091107

Belief is not action; action is not belief.

Reason speaks louder than rage.